Cheltenham Betting
Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle
• 4 of the last 5 winners won last time out.
• 5 of the last 5 winners were flat bred horses.
• 4 of 5 winners won in fields of 12 or more horses
• 5 of the last 5 winners were beaten on their first 2 hurdle starts.
Capellanus is fairly treated on his handicap mark for this race and is one that I would be interested in.
He was raced on the flat by Andre Fabre and now switched to Edward O Grady when having his first hurdle run at Punchestown finishing 7th in a race won by Pittoni.
He then ran a decent race in a Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park, improving to finish 2nd behind Secant Star on heavy ground.
He won last time out at Gowran Park over 2 miles and is clearly very good.
Capellanus should handle good ground no problem and must have a leading chance in this race.
Doctor Deejay is another with sound form again an ex-flat bred horse switched to the Willie Mullins yard.
He was placed in his first 2 hurdle starts and then shaped with promise when winning a maiden hurdle at Gowran Park.
Doctor Deejay’s last race was just behind Pittoni in a Grade 3 hurdle so he enters calculations.
Another to be considered here would be Diktalina.
Her 8 length win at Sandown in a novice hurdle was impressive and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her in the mix at the business end of this race.
Stormy Weather and Hunterview also fit some of the credentials I like to see for this race and they could figure at big prices in what is a decent race.
Recommended Bet: 2 pts each-way Capellanus @ 10/1
